This invention relates to slot track racing apparatus.
Slot car racing tracks are known. Such tracks generally comprise two or more lanes, each for a racing car model, the lanes being defined by a respective slot which is engaged by a guiding member of the racing model car. Power rails are provided on either side of each slot which engage with corresponding pickups on the model so that a driving motor in the model may be powered thereby. Each player has a controller which controls the power supply to the model and thus its speed.
The simplest form of such a slot racing track comprises a circuit in which the two lanes run parallel to one another. In order to increase the interest of the players, obstacles such as chicanes, bridges and cross-overs may be provided. However, such a racing track has the disadvantage that the cars cannot change lane as each lane is associated with a power controller which is associated with a given car and only two cars, one per lane, may be controlled.
There has been proposed a racing track which allows model vehicles to change lane. The vehicles change from one lane to another by sliding across the track. Each lane is provided with two sets of power rails spaced by different distances, one for each car so that each car can use each lane without interference. The race track is consequently complicated and suffers the disadvantage that when changing lane the car speed is reduced because power is not provided. Furthermore, the mechanism used to allow lane changes involves turning the wheels of the car at a sharp angle and this has a braking effect on the car, thus reducing speed.
It is an object of the invention to provide slot track racing apparatus which alleviates the above disadvantages.